Feeder actuator



I. MEDOFF ETAL April 7, 1964 FEEDER ACTUATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June29, 1962 April 1964 1. MEDOFF ETAL FEEDER ACTUATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 29, 1962 INV N S IRVINE l'7eoarr (MR/e5 Bans/ v. BY

WWKKW ATTORNEY April 7, 1964 MEDOFF ETAL 3,127,857

FEEDER ACTUATOR Filed June 29, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E D -b- INVENTORS Vmy nqedor/ C Boa/SI we BY All: J

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,127,857 FEEDER AQTUATQR Irving Medofi,Fiushing, and Charles Bonsignore, Queens Viliagc, N.Y., assignors toErnsig Manufacturing (10., New York, N.Y., a partnership Filed .lune 29,1962, Set. N 2ti6,235 Ciaims. (Cl. 112--113) This invention relates to asewing or stitching apparatus, and more particularly to an automaticstitching apparatus for performing spaced stitching operations atpredetermined points along the length of a garment.

This invention is a continuation-impart of application Serial No.68,515, filed November 10, 1960.

In the aforesaid application, there is disclosed a stitching apparatushaving a movable garment carrier or carriage associated therewith. Thegarment on which i e stitching operation is to be performed is clampedto the carriage, and the latter is advanced progressively andautomatically beneath the needle of the stitching or sewing machine,mechanism being provided for stopping the carriage at a desired positionand activating the sewing machine while the movement of the carriage isthus arrested. At the completion of la stitching cycle, the carriage isreleased for travel to the next stitching position.

The present invention relates to improved actuator mechanism resultingsmoother operation of the apparatus and accurate coordination of thevarious operations performed.

As will be more fully appreciated from the succeeding description, thesuccessful operation of the device of the above mentioned application,as well as that of the instant application, is dependent upon theaccurate timing of the distinct operations, namely, the arresting ofmotion of the carriage, the engagement of the presser foot of the sewingmachine with the garment, and the initiation of the sewing cycle. In thedevice of the aforementioned application, careful adjustment of theapparatus was required to assure that the operations above noted wereeffected accurately and in the order specified.

Also, misuse by the operator of the above noted device could, in time,result in a loss of adjustment of the device whereby, in certaininstances, the sewing cycle may be initiated prior to the operation ofthe Work clamp. In such case, there is likely to be an improperattachment of a button and also it is possible for the sewing machineneedle to break, with possible dangerous consequences.

The present invention accordingly has for an object the provision of animproved automatic stitching apparatus wherein the sequence of operationof the components is accurately and controllably timed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of improved,pneumatically actuated timing apparatus for an automatic stitchingdevice.

Further objects will appear in conjunction with the followingdescription of the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a sewing machine and feeder andgarment positioner attachment secured thereto;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are magnified end elevational views of an escapementmechanism for controlling the position of the work holding carriage;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are plan views of said work holding mechanism,corresponding in positions respectively to the positions shown inFIGURES 2 and 3;

3,127,857 Patented Apr. 7, 1964 FIGURE 6 is a schematic diagram of theactuator mechanism for the work holder carriage and presser footassembly of the sewing machine;

FIGURE 7 is a partially diagrammatic view of the sewing machine stitchcam mechanism, showing the interrelationship of said mechanism with theactuator mechanism.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown an automatic stitching apparatus accordancewith the invention. Details of such apparatus are fully set forth in theaforementioned copending application and will not be here repeatedexcept to the extent necessary for an understanding of the presentinvention.

As shown in said FIGURE 1, 10 represents a conventional button sewingdevice to which is attached a button sorting and feeding assembly 11.The sewing device 10 and sorter and feeder assembly 11 are supported onwork table 12, on which table there is mounted shit-table carriageassembly 16. The carriage includes clamps 14, 15, within which thegarment is held to be supported preferably in taut condition. Thecarriage is operatively associated with a spring motor 16 fixed to table12, the motor serving to return or advance the carriage longitudinallyto the right as viewed in FIGURE 1 when the latter has been moved to itslefit han-dmost position,

In the course of such return movement, stops 2% adjustably mounted onspacer rod 21, are progressively engaged by arrester and actuatormechanism 30 fixed to table 12, which mechanism stops the carriage at adesired position. The interengagement of the stops with portions of themechanism 30 trips mechanism (herein after described in detail), whichactuates the presser foot or work clamp 40, to clamp the garment againstplaten 41 of the sewing machine. The machine 10 is then actuated toperform a stitching cycle to secure a button held in the clamp to to thegarment. It is important that the stitching cycle be initiated after thework clamp has been actuated to engage the work and it is to themechanism for assuring accurate coordination of these steps that thisinvention is primarily directed.

As best seen in FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 5, and as fully described in theaforesaid copending application, the stops 2:), in the course of themovement aforesaid, engage against actuator lever 50, which ishorizontally and vertically pivotable and which normally lies in thepath of movement of the stops 20.

The forward end of lever is shifted to the right as viewed in FIGURES 2and 3, causing lever 50 to pivot in a horizontal plane about pin 51, onwhich it is mounted with clearance, thus urging the stem 52 of controlvalve 52a inwardly or to the left as viewed in FIG- URES 4 and 5. Thetripping of stem 52 of valve 52a, through mechanism, hereinafterdescribed in detail, causes the presser foot or work clamp 40 todescend, clamping the garment against the platen 41 of the sewingmachine. The downwardly moving presser foot carries abutment means, notshown, which in the course of such downward movement strikes the upperend of vertically disposed stud 54, carried by lever 50, thus tiltingthe forward end 55 of said lever upwardly about pin 51 as a pivot, andraising said end 55 clear of the stop 20. As end 55 is cleared from thestop 20, finger 56 of restrainer arm 57 is shifted downwardly into thepath of stop 20 and serves to hold the stop against further movement.The mechanism for causing the depression of finger 56 being fullydescribed in the copending application, is discussed only briefly hereto the extent required for an understanding of the improvement. To aidin such understanding, it should be observed that FIGURE 2 representsthe position of the parts during a sewing cycle and that when thepresser foot 46 is raised at the end of such sewing cycle, finger 56 israised clear of the stops 20. In the meantime, the forward end 55 oflever 50 is positioned, as shown in FIGURE 3, above the stop 20, whichengages the latter to initiate the stitching cycle, and when thecarriage and stop 28 are permitted to continue to move by the raising offinger 56, the end 55 is spring urged downwardly into the path of thenext succeeding stop.

Thus, the elements 55 and 56 act as an escapement, the element 55 firstholding the stop 26 until element 56 is depressed by the downwardmovement of the work clamp. At release of element 56, element 55 engagesbehind the stop and is in position to receive the next stop.

The mechanism next to be described controls the escapement and presserfoot. It should be understood that such control mechanism is not limitedto use in conjunction with the specific escapement mechanism hereinillustrated and described.

In FIGURE 6 there is schematically illustrated the control mechanismaforesaid. Control valve 53, which is of known construction, is providedwith a piston or spool 66 which is shiftable to limiting positions,respectively, adjacent end 61 or end 62 of the valve. The ends 61, 62are provided with bleed passages 63, 64, the passage 64 being closed bynormally shut bleed valve 66. The passage 63, which is extended byconduit 63a, includes at the end of said conduit the normally closedbleed valve 5211. A source of air under pressure is introduced into theinterior of valve 53 at points 67, 68, located, respectively, inchambers 53a and 53b of valve 53. It will be recognized that thepressure to each side of spool 60 will be equalized when bleed passages65, 64 are closed and the spool thus willbe held in equilibrium, butthat when either passage 63 or 64 is opened to the atmosphere by theopening of valve 52a or 66a, respectively, that the chamber 53a or 53bwhich is opened to the atmosphere will be at a lesser pressure than theclosed chamber and, thus, the spool 60 will be urged toward end 61 or 62of valve 53, dependent upon whether valve 52a or 6611 has been opened.

The air source in line P is communicated with the bore of valve 53 atpoint 70. An exhaust line E is similarly communicated with the bore at apoint 71 spaced from point 70. Output lines I and K are similarlycommunicated with the bore of valve 53 at spaced points. The valve spool60, on the outer periphery thereof, is grooved or recessed in knownmanner, said grooving functioning when the spool is shifted to aposition adjacent end 61 of the valve to communicate pressure line Pwith line I, and exhaust line B with line K. Conversely, when the spool60 is shifted to a position adjacent end 62 of the valve, pressure lineP is connected to line K and exhaust line B to line I.

Lines I and K lead, respectively, to the upper and lower chambers 80, 81of operating cylinder 82, said chambers being defined and separated byreciprocable piston 83. A regulator valve 84 is interposed in line I forpurposes which appear hereafter.

The piston 83 of cylinder 82 is operably connected, as by chain 85, tothe clutch lever 86 of the button sewing machine. A microswitch 87, inthe normal (raised) position of the lever 86 is maintained in openpositionthat is, the contacts 88, 89 are separated. The microswitch 87is connected in series with a source of power and with solenoid 90,which solenoid controls the operation of valve 91.

Armature 92 of solenoid 90 is operatively connected with spool 93reciprocable in the said valve 91. Pressure and exhaust lines P and E,respectively, are communicated with the bore of the valve. Lines L and Mlead from the valve 91 to the opposite chambers 95, 96 of presser footcontrol cylinder 97.

The spool 93 is grooved in known manner at its outer periphery so thatwhen the spool is raised in valve 91 by energization of the solenoid 96,line M is connected to pressure line P and line L to exhaust E. When thespool 93 is in its normal (lowermost) position in said valve, to whichit is urged by spring 94, line L is connected to pressure line P andline M to exhaust line B.

The chambers 95, 96 of cylinder 97 are separated and defined by piston98 reciprocable in said cylinder, which piston is operably connected tothe presser foot by presser foot operative lever 99.

The sewing machine 18 on the stitch cam 100 thereof is provided with aplurality of protruding cam elements 161. In the sewing machineillustrated, the cam 100 rotates 180 in the performance of one stitchingoperation although it should be understood that in other machines theangular distance of rotation of the cam may vary. The elements 161 arethus positioned about 180 angularly separated from each other. Theelements inelude leading cam slope portions 102.

The bleed valve 66a of control valve 53 is connected by conduit 0 tochamber 53b of said valve. As seen in FIGURE 7, the valve 66a is securedby bracket 103 adjacent the stitch cam 16%) and in the path of elements101, it being understood that as elements 101 pass adjacent the valve66a, the stem 66 thereof is depressed or opened, communicatingtemporarily the chamber 5312 with the atmosphere.

The operation of the device is as follows: A garment is positioned intaut condition between holding clamps 14, 15, and the carriage 13shifted to the leftwardmost position as shown in FIGURE 1. The carriageis then released by the operator and carried by spring motor 16 towardits right hand position. As the first (righthandmost) stop 20 engagesnose 55 of lever 50, the latter is pivoted horizontally(counter-clockwise as shown in FIG- URE 4), a rearward portion of saidlever tripping or depressing stem 52 or bleed valve 52a. Spool 60 ofvalve 53 is thereby shifted toward end 61 of said valve, communicatingpressure line P with line I leading to chamber of cylinder 82. Thepassage of air through line I is regulable by adjustment of valve 84, itbeing desired that a gradual downward movement of piston 83 be obtainedrather than a ballistic or sudden movement. The move ment of said pistondownwardly in cylinder 82 depresses clutch lever 86, which, as is wellknown, must be shifted a considerable distance prior to triggering thesewing machine to start a sewing cycle. The lever thus may be describedas at an inoperative position when it is raised; at an intermediate orneutral position when it has been depressed from the inoperative positonbut not to a degree necessary to trigger the sewing machine, and at anoperative position when the lever has been depressed sufllciently totrigger the sewing machine.

As the lever 86 [is drawn gradually downwardly, and at an early stage insuch downward movement, moving contact 88 of microswitch 87 is engagedwith contact 89, closing the circuit through solenoid 90. It is to beobserved that the location of microswitch 87 and the gradual admissionof air to cylinder 82 act to assure that the solenoid will be energizeda time period considerably preceding the initiation of a stitchingcycle. If desired, mechanical means, such as a buffer spring or thelike, may be utilized to slow the progress of the clutch lever 86,further to delay the actuation of the latter.

With the energization of solenoid 90, armature 92' thereof is lifted,carrying therewith the spool 93, whereby air is admitted through line Pto line M, causing the piston 98 of cylinder 97 to rise abruptly andlowering the presser foot against the work. The presser foot isconnected to a forward extension of pivoted lever 99, the rear end oflever 99 being moved with the piston 98. As is clearly shown in FIGURE1, when the rear end of lever 99 is lifted, the forward end isdepressed, and thus depresses the presser foot.

It will be understood that the initial movement of stop 20 against lever50 arrests movement of the carriage 13, and that when the presser foot40 descends, as above noted, the finger 56 of lever 57 is depressed intothe path of stop 20, holding the latter during the sewing cycle. Theforward end 55 of lever 50 is simultaneously pivoted upwardly clear ofthe top 20 and will drop behind said stop in position to react to thenext succeeding stop.

Subsequent to the depression of the presser foot in the manneraforesaid, the completed actuation of the sewing machine clutch leverbegins a sewing cycle, and a button gripped adjacent the presser foot isstitched to the garment.

The stitch cam 100 meanwhile is rotated by the known mechanism of thesewing machine during the stitching cycle and one of the protruding camelements 101 depresses bleed valve 66a in timed relation to thecompletion of the stitching operation. The opening of bleed valve 66aresults in a shifting of spool 60 of valve 53 toward end 62 of saidvalve. Pressure from line P is thus introduced to line K, and line Icommunicated with the atmosphere, freeing the clutch lever 86. The leveris raised by mechanism in the sewing machine in known manner at theconclusion of a stitching cycle, it being thus observed that the timingof the actuation of bleed valve 66a is not critical since the trippingthereof merely frees lever 86 and does not actuate the latter.

When the lever 86 is raised at the conclusion of the stitching cycle,the contacts 88, 89 of microswitch 87 are opened, by engagement of anextension of moving contact 88 with a portion of the lever. Solenoid 90is thus deenergized, releasing the armature which, under the in fluenceof spring M, is shifted downwardly again, connecting line L to thepressure line P and line M to the exhaust. Piston 98 is thus lowered incylinder 97 and through the medium of presser foot lever 99, the presserfoot 40 is raised. The raising of presser foot releases the finger orlever 56, freeing the carriage 13 for movement to the next station.

The operating sequence aforesaid is repeated as each stop 20 engageslever 50.

It will be readily understood from the foregoing description that thedevice assures accurate synchronization of the movements of the pressurefoot and the initiation of the stitching cycle. More specifically, thedevice assures that the stitching cycle cannot be commenced prior to theclamping of the garment by the presser foot or work clamp, thuspreventing costly and dangerous needle fracture which often resulted ifthese operations were not synchronized.

The device of the present invention is not limited to use with thespecific button sewing machine shown, but may be used with otherstitching devices, such as button hole sewing devices or the like,wherein accurate coordination beteen the stitching and the operation ofthe presser foot is required.

Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, What isclaimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic stitching device for performing spaced stitchingoperations comprising, in combination with a stitching machine includinga work clamp member, a stitching machine actuator lever shiftableprogressively between inoperative, intermediate and operative positionsfor initiating in said operative position a stitching cycle of saidmachine, said machine including a control cam progressively shiftedduring the stitching cycle, a motorized work holder carriage movableadjacent said clamp member, stops on said carriage, normally closedbleed valve means in the path of movement of said stops, first andsecond operating cylinders for operating said actuator lever and workclamp, respectively, said cylinders having pistons shiftable tooperative and inoperative positions thereof, a source of air underpressure, conduit means including an interposed, an adjustable valvemember connecting said source to said first control cylinder andarranged to shift the piston of said first cylinder from the inoperativeto the operative position thereof at a controlled rate governed by theadjusted position of said adjustable valve member responsive to theopening of said control valve means by said stops, and second valvemeans operated responsive to movement of said actuator lever from theinoperative to the intermediate position thereof and arranged tocommunicate said second cylinder to said source and shift the piston ofthe second cylinder to operative position in advance of the movement ofsaid actuator lever from the neutral to the operative position thereof,and means on said cam for releasing the piston of said first cylinder tothe inoperative position thereof at the completion of a stitching cycle.

2. An automatic stitching device for perform-ing spaced stitchingoperations comprising, in combination with a stitching machine includinga work clamp member, a stitching machine actuator lever shiftableprogressively between inoperative, intermediate and operative positionsfor initiating in said operative posit-ion a stitching cycle of saidmachine, said machine including a control cam progressvely shiftedduring the stitching cycle, a motorized Work holder carriage movableadjacent said clamp member, stops on said carriage, normally closedcontrol valve means in the path of movement of said stops, first andsecond pneumatic actuator means for operating said actuator lever andwork clamp, respectively, adjustable flow regulator means connected tosaid first actuator means, a source of air under pressure arranged to becommunicated to said first pneumatic actuator means responsive toengagement of said control valve means with a stop, second control valvemeans actuated responsive to movement of said lever from saidinopenative to said intermediate position, said second valve means beingarranged to communicate said second actuator means to said source, saidregulator means being adjusted to admit to said first actuator means ata rate to assure actuation of said second actuator means and therebysaid work clamp prior to the shifting of said lever from saidintermediate to said operative position.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 and including means on said camadapted to relieve said pneumatic actuator means at the completion of astitching cycle.

4. In :an automatic stitching device including a sewing machine havingan actuator lever, a control cam and a work clamp, a carriage shiftableadjacent said clamp and including stop means, control means forprogressively actuating said clamp and then said lever comprisingpneumatic means including a valve positioned in the path of and actuatedby engagement with said stop means for urging said lever to the sewingmachine actuating position at a controlled slow rate, second. pneumaticmeans including a valve operatively associated with said lever andarranged to be opened responsive to movement of said lever and inadvance of the of said lever to said actuated position, said secondpneumatic means being adapted to shift said Work clamp to operativeposition upon opening of said valve.

5. An automatic stitching device for performing spaced stitchingoperations comprising, in combination with a stitching machine includinga presser foot for clamping work at the start of a stitching cycle, anactuator lever shiftable progressively between inoperative, intermediateand operative positions, to initiate a stitching cycle and a control camprogressively shifted during the stitching cycle, a support base onwhich said device is mounted, a motorized Work holder carriage movableadjacent said presser foot, stops on said carriage, normally closed control valve means in the path of movement of said stops, a source of airunder pressure, first and second control cylinders for openating saidactuator lever and presser foot, respectively, said cylinders havingpistons shiftable to operative and inoperative positions thereof,conduit means including an interposed adjustable valve member 7connecting said source to said first control cylinder and arranged toshift the piston of said first control cylinder from the inoperative tothe operative position thereof at a controlled rate governed by theadjusted position of said valve member responsive to opening of saidcontrol valve means at the completion of a stitching cycle, second valvemeans operated responsive to movement of said lever to the intermediateposition thereof arnanged to shift the piston of said second controlcylinder to: the operative position thereof in advance of the movementof said actuator lever from the intermediate to the op- 8: erativeposition thereof, and means on said cam for bleeding said cylinders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,899,919 Myska Aug. 18, 1959 2,989,934 Zeirtlin June 27, 1961 FOREIGNPATENTS 1,086,980 Germany Aug. '11, 1960

1. AN AUTOMATIC STITCHING DEVICE FOR PERFORMING SPACED STITCHINGOPERATIONS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION WITH A STITCHING MACHINE INCLUDINGA WORK CLAMP MEMBER, A STITCHING MACHINE ACTUATOR LEVER SHIFTABLEPROGRESSIVELY BETWEEN INOPERATIVE, INTERMEDIATE AND OPERATIVE POSITIONSFOR INITIATING IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION A STITCHING CYCLE OF SAIDMACHINE, SAID MACHINE INCLUDING A CONTROL CAM PROGRESSIVELY SHIFTEDDURING THE STITCHING CYCLE, A MOTORIZED WORK HOLDER CARRIAGE MOVABLEADJACENT SAID CLAMP MEMBER, STOPS ON SAID CARRIAGE NORMALLY CLOSED BLEEDVALVE MEANS IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID STOPS, FIRST AND SECONDOPERATING CYLINDERS FOR OPERATING SAID ACTUATOR LEVER AND WORK CLAMP,RESPECTIVELY, SAID CYLINDERS HAVING PISTONS SHIFTABLE TO OPERATIVE ANDINOPERATIVE POSITIONS THEREOF, A SOURCE OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE, CONDUITMEANS INCLUDING AN INTERPOSED, AN ADJUSTABLE VALVE MEMBER CONNECTINGSAID SOURCE TO SAID FIRST CONTROL CYLINDER AND ARRANGED TO SHIFT THEPISTON OF SAID FIRST CYLINDER FROM THE INOPERATIVE TO THE OPERATIVEPOSITION THEREOF AT A CONTROLLED RATE GOVERNED BY THE ADJUSTED POSITIONOF SAID ADJUSTABLE VALVE MEMBER RESPONSIVE TO THE OPENING OF SAIDCONTROL VALVE MEANS BY SAID STOPS, AND SECOND VALVE MEANS OPERATEDRESPONSIVE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATOR LEVER FROM THE INOPERATIVE TOTHE INTERMEDIATE POSITION THEREOF AND ARRANGED TO COMMUNICATE SAIDSECOND CYLINDER TO SAID SOURCE AND SHIFT THE PISTON OF THE SECONDCYLINDER TO OPERATIVE POSITION IN ADVANCE OF THE MOVEMENT OF SAIDACTUATOR LEVER FROM THE NEUTRAL TO THE OPERATIVE POSITION THEREOF, ANDMEANS ON SAID CAM FOR RELEASING THE PISTON OF SAID FIRST CYLINDER TO THEINOPERATIVE POSITION THEREOF AT THE COMPLETION OF A STITCHING CYCLE.